


still

by excorde (constant)



Category: TREASURE (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Ex-Flings, M/M, happy bday asahi ily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25973236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/constant/pseuds/excorde
Summary: Asahi realizes he's not over Jaehyuk when he runs into him at his favorite diner -on his birthday, of all days.
Relationships: Hamada Asahi/Yoon Jaehyuk
Comments: 14
Kudos: 107





	still

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mangozaya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangozaya/gifts).



> me posting bday fics earlier than the actual bdate is on brand!
> 
> this is for **m** \- who has heard about this first and has inspired a tiny bit of this story (u'll know when u read it!) ty for always being so nice to me <3

Asahi finally gets the chance to have a _normal day_ on his birthday.

This refers to: not having a big celebration or a surprise party coming up at the end of the day, no birthday cakes, no presents, no awkward greetings from strangers. 

It's all he has ever dreamed of. 

You see, when he was younger, his parents made sure that his birthdays were unforgettable - throwing huge parties and inviting every kid he knew from school and from around the neighborhood. 

When he was in high school, his friends threw him surprises and sang him the birthday song in public a few times. There had been several parties too but they weren't as huge as when he was a kid.

Now that he's in college - living away from home and has made three friends during the first semester (who if I may add, had already sent in their greetings through chat messages) - he's finally getting the chance to have a quiet, relaxing birthday. 

For the first time in his life, Asahi gets to do whatever he wants on his special day. His plan for the day is simple and it's this: 

  1. order take away from his favorite burger joint and;
  2. spend the rest of the day at his apartment. 



No cakes, no guests, no parties, just him, his milkshake, his double-cheeseburger, and his spiderman movies. 

It's not much, but it's perfect. 

The only problem: life is a tricky little son of a bitch. 

Asahi is only asking for one peaceful day - _just one day,_ _nothing else_ \- but why is he getting shoved into an unsolicited situation, making him realize and _feel_ things and eventually putting him out of sorts? 

Of all days, of all places, why does Asahi have to run into him _now_? 

"Asahi?" 

Fuck. 

Asahi was hoping he wouldn't spot him in his booth. If I may add, his booth is right below a flashy neon sign which says _'good vibes only'_ \- a perfect spot to grab people's attention as soon as they walk into the diner. But what does he know? 

There is no point in pretending not to hear him. Asahi had spotted him through the glass doors even before he had entered the diner and had not looked away from him since. 

Now, he’s approaching Asahi’s booth in an alarming (read: _normal_ because he could get dramatic) pace and he doesn’t want him to come near because he doesn’t want to go through the feeling of when he has to leave him again. 

Too late. 

"Are you alone?" The newcomer asks, eyes looking around for any signs of a companion. 

Surprisingly, Asahi manages to answer like a normal person. "I was just grabbing lunch." _And dinner._ _And maybe an extra meal for tomorrow, too._

"You're still fond of this place, huh." 

_Still._

That might just be the most painful word in the universe - _still_. 

"Would you like to sit down?" Asahi asks and he instantly hates how his face brightens up as soon as he drops the question. He slides into the booth without another word and now that he's directly in front of Asahi - just at the other end of the table away - he begins to regret even asking. 

Yoon Jaehyuk. 

Asahi met him during freshman orientation. He was one of the volunteers who were in charge of attendance. He was also, among the hundreds of students in the hall that day, the only one brave enough to approach Asahi. 

And tell him that his shirt was worn backwards. 

After rushing to the men's room to fix it, Asahi heads back to thank him, flushing deeply in embarrassment. 

They ended up laughing about it as though they had been friends for a long time. Asahi never laughs so much with people he just met but Jaehyuk had made it so easy.

The orientation was only the beginning. It's as if the freshman orientation had oriented _them_ with each other. 

Asahi didn't want to make it seem obvious, but he wanted to get to know him more. Thankfully, Jaehyuk was the vocal, confident type. He gave Asahi his number then asked if they can eat lunch together tomorrow - _that is, if you're free the same time as me_ . _Is 11 am okay for you?_

Jaehyuk made _talking_ so easy. And because Asahi is not gifted in that department, he blurts out the first word that came to mind: "Yes." 

Jaehyuk turned out to be even better than what he had expected. 

He kept suggesting fun things for them to do (he had _so_ many ideas) and never forgot to ask Asahi's input - if he's down, if he has any problems about it, if he's free, etc. 

He liked to talk. A lot. And every time he did, he made sure that he's not the only one doing it, engaging Asahi in the conversation. Surprisingly, Asahi didn't mind this. He was also very glad that he doesn't have to be the one to talk on the phone whenever they order delivery. 

Jaehyuk is an Agriculture major; he once gifted Asahi a baby cactus and said that he's keeping the cactus' twin. Jaehyuk named them himself. The one with Asahi was 'Gem' and his was called 'Mini.' To be honest, Asahi never got the reference but he just laughed along because Jaehyuk had looked pretty excited about it. (Or just pretty.)

He has good taste in music; Asahi knows this because Jaehyuk had positive reactions to the songs Asahi had listened to. He would ask, "What are you listening to?" And Asahi would respond by handing him the other pair of his airpod. Eventually, Asahi ended up making playlists for him, and Jaehyuk would respond by sending a comprehensive feedback written on his notes app. 

Asahi had never gotten over it. It became a habit. Making playlists, that is. The only difference is that he doesn't send them anymore. 

There it goes again; the implication of the word, 'still'. 

Asahi _still_ makes playlists for Jaehyuk, only now, he doesn't send them to him anymore. 

He didn't intend to, but Asahi ended up liking him. Though he wasn't supposed to, Asahi had liked him. 

And even if he didn't say it back, Asahi knew that Jaehyuk liked him too. 

It was in the way Jaehyuk looked at him. The way he called Asahi's name, the way he waited outside his classes just to spend the rest of the day with him. The way he stuck the lion sticker Asahi gave him on his laptop, the way he held him when Asahi had cried about missing home, whispering words of comfort that never failed to make the Japanese boy feel a whole lot better.

So now you may think - then, what's with all the past tenses? What did go wrong? 

Asahi wishes he could ask Jaehyuk that right now. 

_Where did we go wrong? Why haven't I seen you the past couple of months?_

Most importantly: _Why did I have to see you today, now that I was just starting to move on?_

Seeing Jaehyuk today is like a reset button. Now Asahi has to start all over again. Just like that, the walls that he has been trying to rebuild are crashing down again. 

"How have you been, Asahi?" 

Asahi shrugs casually while he fiddles with his hands below the table, out of Jaehyuk's sight. 

"The usual." 

Jaehyuk nods. "Right. Did you go home this summer?" 

"Yeah. I just got back a week ago." 

There's another awkward silence that follows and Asahi wonders for a moment what's taking his order so long. This is excruciating. 

He hates that the longer they sit there together, the more Asahi anticipates a birthday greeting from him.

Perhaps he doesn't know, but Asahi clearly remembers Jaehyuk asking his birthdate before. It was just a passing question in the middle of a conversation, so maybe he doesn't even remember it. Anyway, it doesn't matter. 

Jaehyuk asks, "Do you have any plans today?" 

"Yes." He replies promptly. He _does_ have a plan for today so it's not a lie, but why does Asahi feel like he shouldn't have said that? 

"Oh." Jaehyuk's expression falls and he hangs his head just in time as Asahi's orders are brought to the table. 

Determined to flee the scene immediately, Asahi stands up and grabs the bags of his meals.

"I'm heading out. It was nice seeing you again, Jaehyuk." 

Asahi doesn't wait up for a response, turning his back to the man who had turned his back on him. 

Halfway to the front door, he freezes on his spot when he hears Jaehyuk's familiar tone calling out his name. 

"Sahi-yah." 

It's in the way Jaehyuk calls his name. It's _still_ in the way Jaehyuk calls his name.

With his heart pounding, he turns back around to face the other. Still seated in the booth, Jaehyuk sends him a warm sweet smile which Asahi finds highly inappropriate because now, Asahi just wants to burst into tears. 

When Jaehyuk speaks again, Asahi feels his world crumble, and at the same time, bloom with all the flowers known to mankind. 

And by 'world', Asahi means 'his heart'. 

His heart has both crumbled and bloomed as Jaehyuk says, 

"Happy Birthday." 

**Author's Note:**

> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/excorde)


End file.
